title: Intranasal sodium hyaluronate on the nasal cytology of patients with allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhinitis is an extremely common medical problem characterized by nasal congestion, clear rhinorrhea, sneezing, and itching. Hyaluronate is an endogenous compound that has an important role in mucociliary clearance by the epithelial surface of the nasal passages and in mucosal surface healing and repair. The objective of this work was to determine the effects of intranasal administration of sodium hyaluronate on nasal cytology in patients with allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a single-center, randomized, blinded trial, 78 patients received intranasal mometasone and oral desloratadine plus either intranasal sodium hyaluronate or saline for 1 month. Nasal cytology was performed and the change from baseline in the numbers of neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, lymphocytes, and infective species was determined. Other outcomes included changes in symptoms and the endoscopic appearance of the nasal mucosa, and tolerability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients receiving sodium hyaluronate experienced a significant decrease in the median neutrophil count seen on nasal cytology compared with controls (p = 0.001). Sodium hyaluronate was associated with significant improvements in sneezing, rhinorrhea, and nasal congestion, and on exudate seen on endoscopy at 1 month compared with baseline. Intranasal sodium hyaluronate received better tolerability scores than saline over the 1-month treatment period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of sodium hyaluronate to intranasal corticosteroid and systemic antihistamine reduced the neutrophil count seen on nasal cytology in patients with allergic and nonallergic rhinitis and improved several clinical and endoscopic parameters while being well tolerated. These data provide encouraging evidence of the efficacy of sodium hyaluronate in the treatment of this common disease.
authors.affiliation: Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gelardi
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iannuzzi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Quaranta
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000187:drug effects; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: Yabro®; allergic rhinitis; eosinophils; intranasal corticosteroids; nasal cytology; neutrophils; nonallergic rhinitis; rhinological therapies; sodium hyaluronate; vasomotor rhinitis